Fat tire Fall: Springville race marks start of off-road biking season for many

Fall is here and the seasonal weather has made for ripe conditions for the 16th annual Fat Tire Classic mountain bike race in Springville this weekend.

“The trails are in great shape and Tule River has run all year,” race director Beck Henry says. “It doesn’t look bad for a drought year, especially where the course goes by.”

It’s also kept some furry guests in the area, Henry adds, with plenty of recent bear sightings.

But that’s the natural backdrop for the Fat Tire Classic, held in conjunction with the Springville Apple Festival on Saturday-Sunday.

The 8-mile circuit takes riders on single track and fire roads with tough climbs through the surrounding hills before the flying downhill through the ravines and alongside the Tule River.

The race, which usually fields 100 to 150 riders on average each year, starts at 10 a.m. Sunday.

Registration will remain open on the day of the Fat Tire Classic starting at 8 a.m., but riders can guarantee a T-shirt (to go with a lunch and raffle ticket) by signing up before Saturday at Fresno-area REI, Steven’s, Rubber Soul, Tri Sport and Sunnyside, Henry said. The cost is $40 for adults. Kids are free.

An additional kids race for riders under 12 is being put on by the California Highway Patrol. Children must sign up by 9 a.m. for the 9:30 race.

Awards will be given to the first three finishers in each category: expert, sport, beginner, single speed, Clydesdale and the following age groups: 12-18, 19-34, 35-44, 45-54 and 55 and older. Cash prizes also will be given to the “King and Queen of the Hill,” contest.

Closer to Fresno, off-road cyclists are getting into gear for the season -- and there’s a new lineup of races as part of the inaugural Fresno County Cyclocross Series.

It’s the brainchild of Fresno cyclist Justin Morgan, who has planned different courses for each of the four-part USA Cycling-sanctioned series. The newest cyclocross series in the Valley kicked off Sept. 27 with the San Joaquin River Cyclocross at Lost Lake Recreation Area.

There are three race days remaining, all open to the public: Oct. 25, Smile High at Lost Lake; Nov. 15, Almost Mile High at Pine Ridge Elementary in Auberry; and Nov. 20 at Choinumni Park on the Kings River.

Medals will be given to the top three finishers in all races and a cash prize in the “A” races based on field size. A youth race will be held for riders ages 9 to 12 and a junior race for ages 13 to 18. Kids ages 8 and under ride free. All events cost $25, “A” races cost $30.

• The annual Lou Fest X Cyclocross Night Race is scheduled for Nov. 8 at Woodward Park. The following day at the park is the first date of the Homegrown Cyclocross series. The other two race days are scheduled for Dec. 7 and 14. Details: